Russia denies bombing US-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria as tensions rise

Russia has denied that it was responsible for an air strike on US-backed forces in Syria's eastern Deir ez-Zour province, its spokesman told AFP.

Syrian Democratic Forces said their fighters were hit in Russian and regime bombardment but Moscow has denied they were behind the air strike.

"This is not possible. Why would we bomb them?" said military spokesman Igor Konashenkov at the Hmeimim base in Latakia.

The Kurdish and Arab militia blamed Russia and the Syrian regime for the attack which left at least six fighters wounded.

"At 3:30am on 16 September 2017, our forces east of the Euphrates River were targeted by Russian and Syrian regime warplanes in the al-Sinaaiya area," the SDF said.

The Syrian Democratic Forces have launched an offensive into Deir az-Zour in eastern Syria, where regime militias are also competing for territory.

Earlier, the Syrian Democratic Forces warned the regime against crossing the Euphrates and blamed them of firing shots across the river.

Al-Sinaaiya is an industrial area north-east Deir Ezzor city, about seven kilometres (four miles) from the east bank of the Euphrates